FACTORS OF ONLINE MARKETING STRATEGIES INFLUENCING THE BUSINESS SUCCESS OF FOOD MANUFACTURING SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES IN THE LOWER NORTHERN REGION OF THAILAND
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Abstract
This study was motivated by the limited empirical evidence explaining how specific online marketing strategy dimensions influence business success among food manufacturing small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in regional Thailand, particularly in the lower northern region where SMEs face increasing digital competition and resource constraints. The objectives of this research were to assess the level of adoption of online marketing strategies, examine their effects on business success, and develop a structural equation model explaining the relationship between online marketing strategies and SME business success. This quantitative research collected data from 350 food manufacturing SME entrepreneurs using a structured questionnaire. The research instrument measured six dimensions of online marketing strategies: customer communication channel focus, product diversity, competitor learning capability, timely market responsiveness, privacy protection, and personalized services. Business success was measured based on the Balanced Scorecard framework, comprising financial performance, customer perspective, internal business processes, and learning and growth. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The findings revealed that all six online marketing strategy dimensions had positive and statistically significant effects on business success. Personalized services exerted the strongest influence (β = 0.34, p < .001), followed by customer communication channel focus (β = 0.29, p < .001), competitor learning capability (β = 0.25, p < .001), timely market responsiveness (β = 0.22, p < .001), product diversity (β = 0.18, p < .01), and privacy protection (β = 0.16, p < .05). The structural model demonstrated good fit with the empirical data (χ²/df = 2.18, CFI = 0.95, RMSEA = 0.054). The findings suggest that integrated online marketing strategies, particularly personalized services and effective digital communication, are essential mechanisms for enhancing competitiveness and sustainable business success among food manufacturing SMEs. This study contributes empirical evidence to the digital marketing and SME performance literature in the Thai regional context and provides practical implications for entrepreneurs, policymakers, and business support agencies in strengthening SME competitiveness in the digital economy.
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